by Jim Montgomery | Apr 29, 2026 | This Day in Philly Sports History
Presented by the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
The Sixers stayed alive with a vintage Joel Embiid performance. Don Mattingly is undefeated and the bats come alive. The Flyers look to eliminate the Penguins. April 29 in Philly Sports History features backup goalie heroics, April Phillies records, and the NFL Draft in Philly. Today we look at some key moments from the Flyers, Sixers, Phillies, and Eagles.
Welcome to the Club Lefty
Heading into a 1981 game against the Expos Steve Carlton needed three strikeouts to reach 3000 for his career. In the top of the first he struck out Tim Raines, Jerry Manuel, and Tim Wallach to join the 3K club. Lefty became the sixth overall pitcher to achieve the feat and the first left-hander. Del Unser hit a 3-run double as the Phillies beat the Expos 6-2. Carlton added to his total pitching a complete game and adding in 9 strikeouts. Carlton would finish third in the Cy Young voting that year behind Fernando Valenzuela and Tom Seaver.
Trivia – Since Steve Carlton in 1981, 14 other pitchers have joined the 3000-strikeout club. Name them.
Rallying Around the Backup
Moments before the Flyers’ Patrick Division Final matchup against the Penguins they found out that starting goalie Ron Hextall was not able to go. Enter Ken Wregett (future Penguin Ken Wregett). Four different Flyers scored goals and Mark Howe added 2 assists. Wregett had a monster game saving 39 of the 40 shots he took helping the Flyers cruise to a 4-1 win. Down 3 games to 2 the Flyers completed the comeback and moved on to the Wales Conference Finals to take on the Canadiens. It was a memorable run for the Flyers who finished the regular season 36-36-8.
Hot Start for the Phillies
Everyone talks about the 4-Aces the Phillies had in 2011, but the offense wasn’t too shabby either. On this day they took on the Mets and Ryan Howard hit 2 homers and had 6 RBIs, giving him 27 for the month – setting a team record for April. Placido Polanco had 2 hits giving him 39 for the month breaking the team record set in 2008 by Chase Utley. Vance Worley pitched six solid innings and struck out 5 to get the 10-3 win over the Mutts.
Best Draft Ever?
In 2017 the NFL Draft was held April 27-29 in Philly. The NFL converted the Art Museum steps into a stage for the future NFL stars. Over 250,000 fans attended over the course of three days setting a draft attendance record. This was the first time since 1961 that the draft was held in Philly and set the bar high for future on location drafts. In the first round the Eagles selected Derrick Barnett who would have the huge fumble recovery of Brandon Graham’s strip sack of Tom Brady in Super Bowl LVII. Unfortunately for the Eagles he was really the only pick in that draft that had extended success. Myle Garrett went #1 but the draft in general featured many future NFL stars including: Christian McCaffery, Patrick Mahomes, Temple’s Haason Reddick, TJ Watt, Alvin Kamara, Cooper Kupp, Trey Hendrickson, George Kittle, and current Eagles kicker Jake Elliott. Maybe the draft should be in Philly every year as the Eagles were the center of the NFL Universe from Draft Day till the Super Bowl Parade in February…
Jimmy Buckets
The Sixers bounced back in Game 2 of their playoff series against the Raptors. After losing Game 1 by 13 they responded by beating the Raptors 94-89, shifting the series back to Philly tied at a game apiece. Jimmy Butler led the Sixers with 30 points, adding 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Joel struggling with knee tendinitis and an upper respiratory infection only scored 12 and had 10 rebounds. This series would go the full seven games and only ended after Kawhi Leonard’s game winner bounced off the rim four times before falling in.
Trivia Answer – Ferguson Jenkins, Don Sutton, Phil Niekro, Bert Blyleven, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, CC Sabathia, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Clayton Kershaw.
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by Jim Montgomery | Apr 28, 2026 | This Day in Philly Sports History
Presented by the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
It’s going to be an interesting week in Philly Sports. Rob Thomson is out as manager, the Flyers have dropped two straight, and the Sixers look to avoid being eliminated tonight. April 28has been a mixed bag for our teams with the Flyers moving on, the Sixers getting a break, and the birth of Howie Season. We look at key moments from the Sixers, Flyers, Phillies, and Eagles today.
Moving On
In 1985 the Flyers made a run to the Stanley Cup Finals before losing to Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers. On this day though they eliminated the Islanders in Game 5 of the Patrick Division Finals. Illka Sinisalo scored the only goal with assists from Doug Crossman and Peter Zezel as the Flyers won it 1-0 and took the series 4 games to 1. Pelle Lindburgh in the midst of a Vezina Trophy season saved all 25 shots he faced as the Flyers moved to the Wales Conference Finals to take on the Nordiques.
History Made at the Vet
The Phillies took on the Padres in 1991 at the Vet. They exploded for 5 runs in the first inning thanks in part to a 3-Run Homer by Charle Hayes. Dickie Thon also homered in the game and Jason Grimsley allowed 3 hits over 7 innings while striking out 7 as the Phillies won 9-2. History was made when Tony Gwynn stepped up to the plate in the first inning. With runners on 1st and 2nd Gwynn hit a liner to Randy Ready who caught it, stepped on 2nd then thew to Ricky Jordan to complete the inning ending triple play. It was the first triple play in the history of the Vet and the Phillies first as a team since 1968.
Trivia – How many total triple plays (by either team) happened in the history of the Vet? (Answer Below)
Win by Losing?
The 8-seed Sixers took on the 1-seed Bulls in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs on this day in 2012 The Sixers lost 103-91 led by Elton Brand’s 19 points. The big story coming out of this game was reigning MVP Derrick Rose. Rose tore his ACL late in the game and was out for the rest of the series. Rose’s injury coupled with a bang Joakim Noah opened the door for the Sixers to an improbable upset of the Bulls.
Birth of Howie SZN
The 2016 NFL Draft marked the coming out party of Howie Roseman. Prior to the draft Howie was able to trade Byron Maxwell and Kiko Alonzo (both Chip Kelly acquisitions) and the 13th overall pick to the Dolphins for the #8 pick. This freed up some salary cap space but also put the Eagles into a position to make some noise on draft day. Then just over a week before the draft he was able to trade the #8 pick, a 2016 3rd and 4th round pick, a 2017 1st round pick and a 2018 2nd round pick to the Browns in exchange for #2 overall in 2016. A pick that was used on North Dakota St. quarterback Carson Wentz. The legend of Howie was born, and the Eagles ultimately won a Super Bowl in part to Carson’s play in 2017.
Like Father Like Son
The Phillies lost to the Dodgers on April 28, 2017, 5-3 in L.A. Freddy Galvis had 2 RBI for the Phils. Mark Leiter Jr. pitched a scoreless inning in relief joining his dad, Mark Sr. on the Phillies all-time roster. It marked the first time a father and son both pitched for the Phillies. The Leiters also joined the Amaros as father son duos to play for the Phillies. They were later joined by the Bedrosians (Steve and Cam) as father-son duos to pitch for the team.
Trivia Answer – 2. There were only two triple plays in the history of the Vet. The one in 1991 and another by the Phillies in 1999.
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by Jim Montgomery | Apr 27, 2026 | This Day in Philly Sports History
Presented by the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
Not the best Philly Sports weekend. The Phillies are a mess, the Sixers were blown out, and the Flyers couldn’t finish the sweep. Joel did return and say what you want about his injury history, the guy is tough. The Eagles hit all their areas of need, so we’ll see if the players pan out. The Flyers will look to finish off the Penguins tonight in Pittsburgh.
On the Verge of Clinching
Dr. J had an immediate impact on the Sixers, his first season coming over from the ABA. On this day in 1977 he scored 22 points, Doug Collins added 23 and The Mayor Steve Mix had 20 as the Sixers beat the Celtics to go up 3 games to 1 on the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. They’d lose the next game before knocking the Celtics out and eventually making the NBA Finals.
Schmidt Spoils Nolan’s No-no
The Phillies traveled to Houston in 1988, and Nolan Ryan was outstanding. He held the Phillies hitless through 8 1/3 innings before Mike Schmidt spoiled the no-hitter with a one out single. Lance Parrish then tied the game at 2 with a 2-run double. The Astros eventually walked it off in the bottom of the tenth but Mike Schmidt, who historically struggled against Ryan was able to spoil it.
Trivia – Which pitcher did Mike Schmidt have his highest career batting average against (minimum 40 at-bats) (Answer Below)
Staying Alive
The Flyers avoided being eliminated and forced a winner take all Game 7 in Pittsburgh with a 6-2 win over the Penguins at the Spectrum. Tim Kerr and Derrick Smith scored 2 goals each and Mark Howe added 3 assists. The Flyers would be the Pens in Game 7 setting up a matchup with the Canadiens in the Wales Conference Finals.
Sending the Vet out in Style
Ricky Ledee hit a first inning homerun which was the only run scored in the Phillies game against the Giants at the Vet. Kevin Milwood, who had been solid in his first year with the Phillies, was outstanding on this day. He threw 108 pitches, walked 3 while striking out 10 and not allowing a single hit to the Giants that day. It was the second no-hitter in the Vet’s history. Ledee also caught the final out to clinch it for Milwood.
Trivia Answer – Rick Reuschel. In 129 career at-bats Schmidt hit .403 with 7 homers and 26 RBI.
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by Jim Montgomery | Apr 24, 2026 | This Day in Philly Sports History
Presented by the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
The Eagles traded up and selected Makai Lemon last night in the first round. April 23 has proven to be “super” for the Birds. The Sixers were also kings of the world, the Flyers stayed alive and a potential Hall of Famer made a grand debut.
We are the Champions
On this day in 1967 the Sixers beat the Warriors 125-122 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals thanks in part to a huge 4th quarter. The win brought the franchise their second NBA Championship. League MVP Wilt Chamberlain scored 24 points and grabbed 23 rebounds. Luke Jackson pulled down 21 boards and Rick Barry once again went over 40 points in the series. Hal Greer was quoted as saying “We knew we were going to win most of our games…it was just a matter of by how much.” The 66-67 Sixers went 68-13 and in honor of the NBA’s 35th anniversary they were named the greatest team ever. There have been quite a few great teams since then, but they are still considered one of the best teams in NBA history. The Sixers franchise won their first while in Syracuse as the Nationals in 1955.
Chase Utley’s Grand Debut
The Phillies beat the Rockies on this day in 2003. Making his first Major League start at second base was Chase Utley. He made it memorable and gave us fans a glimpse of what was to come. In the bottom of the 5th Utley hit a grand slam to break the game wide open. In true Chase Utley fashion, he sprinted around the bases. He also added a double and much like his homerun trot, his career was off to the races.
The Flyers Stay Alive
Facing elimination in the 2011Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Sabres, the Flyers responded with great resilience on the road. They fell behind 3-1 after the 1st period but battled back to send the game to overtime thanks to Scott Hartnell’s goal midway through the 3rd period. Ville Leino won it less than 5 minutes into the extra period to send the series back to Philly all tied at 3 games. Future Flyers GM Danny Briere had 2 goals, and the Flyers would send the Sabres packing with a 5-2 win two nights later setting up a series against their old rivals the Boston Bruins.
Howie Makes a “Super” Pick
One night after passing on Justin Jefferson in favor of Jalen Reagor in the first round of the NFL – held on Zoom due to the Covid Pandemic – Howie made another surprising pick. In the 2nd round he shocked everyone and selected another Jalen #53 overall, this time Jalen Hurts out of Oklahoma. The Eagles already had a franchise quarterback with a large contract. Fortunately, much like when fans wanted Ricky Williams over Donovan McNabb, this pick off paid off for Howie and the Eagles. Since being drafted and eventually being named the starter in 2021, all Jalen has done is led to the Eagles to the playoffs every year, 2 NFC East Division titles, 2 Super Bowls, and a World Championship – winning the MVP. Jalen has faced a ton of criticism this offseason but if I had to bet, I’d put my money on Jalen.
Trivia – Which four quarterbacks were selected ahead of Jalen Hurts in the 2020 draft? (Answer Below)
Thank You
Thank you for reading this week. Be sure to subscribe so you can get notified of new posts. Once I get into a rhythm I plan on posting some special features on the weekend.
Trivia Answer – Joe Burrow #1, Tua Tagovailoa #5, Justin Herbert #6 and Jordan Love #26
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by Jim Montgomery | Apr 23, 2026 | This Day in Philly Sports History
Presented by the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
What a game last night for the Flyers. Bring out the brooms! April 23 was a big day in Phillies history while the Flyers and Sixers have had some success as well. Let’s take a look at April 23 in Philly Sports History.
Day Turns to Night
By 1950 MLB night games had been a staple for most teams. However, a quirky NL rule didn’t allow the lights to be turned on if a day game ran long. That changed in 1949. On April 23, 1950, the Phillies were in Boston to play a doubleheader against the Braves. The Braves won the first game 4-3. Game 2 started under daylight but as the game progressed and dusk settled in, for the first time in MLB history they turned on the lights. Del Ennis hit an RBI double under the lights to give the Phillies a 6-5 win. This game and the new rule changed the way MLB games were scheduled. We now have late evening start times, and it also led to the advent of the twi-night doubleheader.
Mahaffey Strikeout King
The Phillies swept a doubleheader against the Cubs at Connie Mack Stadium on this day in 1961. Bobby Smith hit a walk-off homer to give the Phillies a 1-0 win in game 1. Frank Sullivan pitched a complete game shutout. In game 2 Johnny Callison homered and had 4 RBI as the Phillies completed the sweep with a 6-0 win. Art Mahaffey scattered 4 hits to get the complete game shutout. He struck out 17 Cubs setting the Phillies team record for strikeouts in a game and setting an MLB record for a right-handed pitcher.
Trivia – Who currently holds the Phillies single game record for strikeouts in a game? (Answer Below)
The PECO Power Play
The Flyers fell behind the Tampa Bay Lightning 2 games 1 in their quarterfinal series in 1996 after losing back-to-back overtime games. John LeClair and Ron Hextall led the way for the Flyers on this day. LeClair scored 2 power play goals and Hextall saved 21 shots as the Flyers won it 4-1. Joel Otto and Dale Hawerchuck also scored to help them even the series at 2 games apiece. They’d win the next two setting up a matchup with the Florida Panthers.
Ben Silences the Fans
Ben Simmons in Game 1 against the Nets in 2019, so much so that the fans at the Wells Fargo Center booed him. This led to Ben clapping back saying “If you’re gonna boo then stay on that side…” As you can imagine, that went over like a ton of bricks. Ben would bounce back with a triple-double in Game 2. On this day they finished off the Nets in a gentleman’s sweep, winning 122-100 in front of the home fans. The game wasn’t that close as Ben had 13 points, 6 boards and 4 assists. Joel Embiid dominated with 23 points and 13 rebounds in only 20 minutes – that’s all that was needed as the Sixers were set to take on the Raptors and future coach Nick Nurse in what would be an epic 7-game series.
Trivia Answer – In 1965 Chris Short pitched 15 innings against the Mets and struck out 18 to set the single game record for the Phillies. Mahaffey still holds the record for a 9-inning game.
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by Jim Montgomery | Apr 22, 2026 | This Day in Philly Sports History
Presented by the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
It’s Flyers vs. Penguins, Game 3 tonight. April 22 provided one of the best moments in the rivalry. Today we look at Claude Giroux setting the tone, the first NBA championship in Philly and a groundbreaking moment for the Phillies franchise, albeit 10 years late.
Philly’s First NBA Championship
In 1947 the Philadelphia Warriors, playing their first season as a member of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), beat the Chicago Stags 4 games to 1 to win the championship. On this day they won 83-80 at the old Philadelphia Arena on 45th and Market. The Warriors were coached by legendary coach Eddie Gottlieb. The BAA history and statistics are counted by the NBA, making the Warriors the very first NBA champions. The BAA and National Basketball League (NBL) merged in 1949 to form the NBA. The Warriors would win another championship in Philly in 1956 before moving to San Francisco in 1962. The move paved the way for the Syracuse Nationals to move to Philly the following year and become the Sixers. As for the Stags? They folded after the 1950 season.
The Phillies Finally Integrate
Jackie Robinson broke MLB’s color barrier in 1947. To say that the Phillies had a complicated history with integration is an understatement. On this day in 1957 John Kennedy entered the game to pinch run for Solly Hemus in the 8th inning of a 5-1 loss to the Dodgers becoming the Phillies first black player to play in a game. The Phillies were the third to last MLB to integrate, just over 10 years after Jackie Robinson’s debut. For Kennedy it was short live as he only played in 5 games, mostly as a pinch runner. It wouldn’t be until Dick Allen in 1964 that the Phillies had a black star, but Kennedy paved the way.
The Shift
The Flyers were looking to close out the Penguins in Game 6 at their quarterfinal series at Wells Fargo Center. Claude Giroux was not going back to Pittsburgh for Game 7. On the opening shift he leveled Sydney Crosby 5 seconds into the game sending the crowd into a frenzy. On the same shift he blasted a shot past Marc-Andre Fleury to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead 32 seconds into the game. It set the tone as they rolled to a 5-1 win setting up a showdown with another rival, the Devils in the next round. G and Jakub Voracek added 2 assists in this game. Giroux had an amazing series, scoring 14 points (6 goals and 8 assists). Who’s going to have a “shift” tonight?
Coots with a Gutsy Display
In 2018 the Flyers were playing the Penguins in the quarterfinals once again. Sean Couturier missed Game 4 after tearing his MCL in practice. With the Flyers down 3 games to 1, Coots returned for Game 5 and scored the game winner. Fast forward to this day in 2018 and Game 6, and no one could have predicted what he had in store for an encore. Playing on a torn MCL, Couturier recorded a hat trick and 2 assists. Unfortunately it was enough as the Penguins Jake Geuntzel scored 4 goals to lead the Pens to an 8-5 win, eliminating the Flyers. Coots left it all out on the ice that day, however.
Break out the Brooms!
Playing without Joel Embiid, the Sixers beat the Nets in Game 4 96-88, sweeping them out of the playoffs. Tobias Harris scored 25 and had 12 boards, B-Ball Paul Reed scored 10 and 15, and James Harden had 17 and 11 assists. The win set up a matchup with the Celtics in the second round.
Trivia – How many sweeps do the Sixers have in 7 game series all-time and when were they? (Answer Below)
A Blown Opportunity
One year later the Sixers were up in Madison Square Garden looking to even their first round series at a game apiece. The Sixers appeared poised to send the series back to Philly tied leading by 5 with 30 seconds remaining. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off. Kyle Lowry had a chance at a steal but missed. A friendly bounce 3-pointer by Villanova’s Jalen Brunson brought the Knicks within 2. Tyrese Maxey turned the ball over (maybe a foul??), Dante DiVincenzo (another Nova guy) missed a 3 but Isaiah Hartenstein grabbed the offensive board and dished it DiVincenzo who didn’t miss the second attempt to put the Knicks up 1. A missed Maxey layup, a couple of Knicks free throws and a Joel Embiid missed 3 point shot and the Knicks headed to Philly up 2-0 after winning 104-101. Kudos to Jo for playing through Bells Palsy. If the Sixers won, the entire complexion of the series changes.
Trivia Answer – 1983 vs. Knicks, 1983 vs. Lakers, 1985 vs. Bucks, and 2023 vs. Nets
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